“I have said many times that the matter is still sub judice. It won’t be fair to talk on this. Law will take its own course. We have always worked towards punishing the guilty and sparing the innocent,” Sinha was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“If by garlanding them (Ramgarh lynching case convicts) an impression has gone out that I support such vigilantism then I express regret over it,” he added.

Sinha had last Thursday welcomed the seven cow vigilantes, convicted for lynching a Muslim meat trader in Ramgarh in June last year. The convicts went to Sinha’s residence to meet him after their release from jail.

The Hazaribagh MP on Saturday justified his action, stating that he was merely “honouring the due process of law” by doing so. He clarified his position saying that the high court has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail while admitting their case. The case will once again be re-heard.